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Thursday, February 2, 2012

I Love Afterthought Heels!

I don't know where my head has been in the sock knitting universe, but until a few weeks ago, I had never heard of an afterthought heel. When someone told me that I would have to cut the yarn in the sock, I decided I would never be making one!

Then I recalled my resolutions for the year, one of which was to learn to steek, and I decided that this would be a small first step in cutting my knitting. Be brave Beverly. Take a deep breath. Watch some youtube tutorials.

My first attempt at an afterthought heel wasn't a "true" afterthought heel. I used the Knit Girlls tutorial for adding a waste yarn where I wanted the heel to be as I knit the sock, and then going back to insert the heel afterward. I know what you are thinking... I didn't cut the yarn. Hey, I'm taking baby steps.

This sock was knit from the top down, 2-at-a-time, on US size 1 circs. I just cast on 80 stitches and worked a k2, p2 rib for about 6 inches, switched to half of the stitches ribbed and half stockinette stitch. Added the waste yarn where I wanted the heel and knit on. Super fast and super easy. (The yarn is Regia Galaxy Saturn.)

Going back to work the afterthought heel was super easy and stressless. I love this technique! I don't ever want do work another short row heel in my life.

Ok, I had some success, but I didn't really cut my knitting, did I? Time to be brave, take the next step, yada yada yada. Tune in tomorrow for more adventures with afterthought heels.

Ya' know what else you can do? You can make that heel all in knit stitch! Then it's cozy and bouncy and different! I learned about garter stitch heels from Lucy Neatby - she does it short rows but it really works nicely in afterthought too. Heck, I'm having such an affair with garter that when I made a hat in the round, I purled alternating rows just to get the effect.